Savannah Convention Center Expansion
Savannah, GA

The Savannah Convention Center (SCC) is located on Hutchinson Island across the river from the Downtown Savannah Landmark Historic District. The existing facility opened in 2000 with 100,000 SF of exhibit space, 13 meeting rooms, a 42,000 SF ballroom, a 367-seat auditorium and four boardrooms. The SCC is experiencing growth in the convention market. To facilitate this growth and continue to be competitive in the market, the Georgia International Maritime Trade Center Authority is expanding their facility by generally doubling the size of the existing center.

New entry plazas and arrival zones with monumental facades will greet visitors arriving from the north and east. New registration lobbies serving the expanded exhibition space will be located adjacent to the entry plazas. The new ballroom will be placed on the third floor directly above the northernmost new exhibit hall. It will have pre-function space along the north and east side. A large roof terrace providing views to the city will be adjacent to the east pre-function. The new meeting rooms will be located on levels one and two along the new extension of the east concourse. The new parking garage has five levels and will be placed directly above the exhibit loading area.

The renovation will double the size of the exiting center and will provide the following new function spaces including a 100,000 SF exhibit hall, a 42,000 SF ballroom, 12 to 15 new meeting room divisions for a total of 23,000 SF, public circulation, service and support spaces including retail plus restaurant space along the street edge and a new public garage. Also included will be new entry plazas/arrival zones, streetscape designs for new walks, redesigned surface parking areas and elevated terraces on the north, east and west side of the ballroom.

Hussey Gay Bell is providing planning, site/civil engineering, utilities, permitting, and construction phase services.

[Images: Courtesy of tvsdesign.]